Amman  - The Jordanian government on Monday inked a memorandum of understanding with the British-Australian Rio Tinto group for the exploration and mining of uranium and other nuclear ores in the country, according to an official statement.

The document seeks to formulate the general terms for defining the areas were uranium and other nuclear metals can be found in the run- up for the signing of exploration and mining agreements with the conglomerate, the statement said.

It is the latest in a series of agreements that Jordan has entered into with world nuclear powers in its bid to develop a nuclear system for peaceful purposes.

Johannesburg  - South Africa's ruling African National Congress said it would never endanger the health of former president Nelson Mandela after drawing criticism for flying him to an election rally in wet conditions to support the party.

At a press conference Monday the ANC's campaign director Fikile Mbabula insisted: "The ANC would not put the life of Madiba at risk," referring to Mandela by his clan name.

Mbalula also insisted that the 90-year-old anti-apartheid icon had expressly asked to attend an ANC rally together with controversial leader, Jacob Zuma.

Brussels  - Finland is to double the number of its troops in the NATO-led force in Afghanistan to some 200 in time for elections on August 20, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said Monday as European Union colleagues discussed a police-training mission there.

"We will double our presence from about 100 to 200 for the elections, and in that sense I hope that we have responded to the requests (for more troops) that have come from the United States," Stubb told journalists in Brussels.

At the regular meeting, EU foreign ministers were set to discuss the 27-member bloc's role in stabilizing Afghanistan at a time when the new US government has called on European members of NATO to boost their commitments in the country.

Hanoi  - Japan is to resume its aid to Vietnam, after cutting it in December due to a corruption scandal, a Vietnamese minister said Monday.

Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Hong Phuc, who is on a week-long visit to Japan, told Vietnam Television Monday that Japan had decided to restore official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam for the rest of 2009.

"Japan's resumption of ODA to Vietnam will contribute to boosting foreign investment and trade relations between the two countries," Phuc said.

Vietnam Television reported that Japan had committed 83.2 billion Yen (900 million dollars) in ODA to Vietnam this year, making it the country's top aid donor.

Copenhagen  - A majority of Danish voters want fresh elections should Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen decide to leave office, a survey published Monday suggested.

Rasmussen has been mentioned in connection with the post of NATO secretary-general, although the premier last week said he was "not a candidate for any international post."

Polling institute Catinet Research said six in 10 Danish voters wanted Rasmussen to call new elections rather than hand over the reins to his designated successor, Finance Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

Cairo - Deputy al-Qaeda leader Amyan al-Zawahiri urged Hamas not to accept a truce to end fighting in the Gaza Strip in a new video message distributed over the Internet.

"Israel's Arab aides are attempting to impose on the people of Gaza a truce which will stop their Jihad in exchange for the lifting of the embargo (on the Gaza Strip)," al-Zawahiri said, according to a transcript of the tape posted to Islamist websites alongside the video on Sunday.